[Congressional Record Volume 155, Number 84 (Monday, June 8, 2009)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E1340-E1341]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




    CONGRATULATIONS TO THE PEOPLE OF LEBANON ON ADVANCE OF DEMOCRACY

                                 ______
                                 

                            HON. JOE WILSON

                           of south carolina

                    in the house of representatives

                          Monday, June 8, 2009

  Mr. WILSON of South Carolina. Madam Speaker, I wish to congratulate 
National Assemblyman Saad Hariri and his March 14 coalition on their 
victory in yesterday's elections in Lebanon. In December, I 
participated on a delegation to Beirut meeting with Saad Hariri and his 
colleagues who were bravely campaigning to promote a free market 
democracy. At their campaign headquarters, I was, inspired by the large 
number of portraits of assassinated parliamentarians. Saad Hariri is 
upholding the tradition of dedication established by his martyred 
father. Following the American-led coalition liberation of Iraq, Syria 
withdrew from Lebanon giving new hopes for the spread of democracy 
across the Middle East.
  I would like to submit the following portions of an article entitled 
``Hezbollah loses Lebanon vote'' that ran in today's Washington Times 
reporting on the success of Mr. Hariri and his coalition:

       ``Lebanon's pro-Western coalition claimed victory Sunday 
     night after an election that appeared to douse fears of a 
     militant Islamist takeover in the tiny nation known for 
     sectarian conflict and as a proxy for Iranian and Syrian 
     interests . . .
       ``Hezbollah, labeled a terrorist group by the United States 
     and European Union, appeared to suffer from a high voter 
     turnout that exceeded 50 percent--the largest since the end 
     of Lebanon's 1975-91 civil war.
       ``The outcome appeared to avoid a crisis with the United 
     States and Europe, where some analysts had feared that the 
     Hezbollah-led coalition would win and force the United States 
     and European Union to reconsider foreign aid, especially for 
     the Lebanese army. The army is a key institution in a country 
     that transcends sectarian divisions.
       `` `This is a big lay in the history of democratic 
     Lebanon,' Saad Hariri, leader of the pro-Western March 14 
     coalition, told cheering supporters.
       `` `Congratulations to you, congratulations to freedom, 
     congratulations to democracy,' said Mr. Hariri, the son of 
     slain former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri . . .
       ``Analysts said the next government would have to work with 
     the opposition to prevent instability and fighting from a 
     year ago, when Shi'ite Hezbollah-led forces briefly seized 
     control of Sunni-dominated West Beirut.
       ``Hezbollah is a longtime ally of Iran and Syria. It 
     opposed a 2005 agreement in which Syrian troops withdrew from 
     Lebanon, ending a 29-year occupation.''

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